Welcome
Although COVID has not been with us forever, it seems impossible to imagine a time when it did not exist. The impact it has presented on our daily lives is undeniable and we would like to offer you some support in coping with this seemingly endless cycle of masks, lockdowns and quarantines. This page is dedicated to offering assistance in as many forms as we could compile from healthy diets to healthy sleep habits. Please explore at your leisure and share any recommendations or feedback so we can continue to address your needs.
Energy is at the heart of everything. It’s crucial for our health and happiness, brightening up our days in all aspects of life. This little book has great tips on practical things you can do to keep your energy levels up and explains how simple habits and choices can improve your mindset.
If you need a little pick me up or want a reminder of the things you can do to find your energy balance, download your copy – and feel free to share it with others!
Resources
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Think well
Psychological wellbeing
Bond University Psychological Services is a free and confidential service open to all current students and staff.
Psychology at Bond University Wellness Centre is situated in Building 9 outside the Student Court area. The modern therapy rooms provide an open, safe and confidential space that enables our Registered Psychologists to assist with clinical and non-clinical issues that you may have found difficult to deal with alone.
What we offer
Many people go through emotional struggles and distress at some point in their lives. These factors can impact upon not only your mental state but also your physical wellbeing too. Our experienced team of Psychologists can help to relieve these issues.
Our team will offer you understanding, support and new perspectives on personal, relationship, academic or work-related problems such as:
- adjustment to university life
- exam and study stress
- relationship or family difficulties
- traumatic experiences
- lack of confidence or motivation
- rating and body image
- LGBTIQ issues
- bereavement
Our Psychologists are also able to help with Psychological conditions that may require Clinical Attention. For example:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder
- Bipolar Disorders
- Depressive Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders
- Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders
- Feeding and Eating Disorders
- Trauma and Stress Related Disorders, Sexual Disfunction, Sleep Disorders and Personality Disorders. For information on help with Sexual Assault click here.
We offer timely goal oriented and solution focused therapy interventions for acute conditions (e.g. 1 to 10 sessions) as well as long-term therapy for chronic conditions that may support you during the entirety of your degree.
Managing your wellbeing through mindfulness
Our OSHC partner BUPA have created a range of meditation and mindfulness resources including podcasts and videos:
Nurturing mental wellbeing while in lockdown
Another helpful resource you can access is '7 areas of mental wellbeing to nurture while in lockdown'. This guide outlines steps you can take to effectively work or study from home. It will help you to proactively manage your mental health while you are not able to attend campus. View this resource here.
Balancing your emotions
BUPA have also developed a guide on balancing your emotions during unstable times. Living with uncertainty and changing everyday habits in a short space of time can be stressful for many of us. If you’re finding the current situation stressful there are a few simple things you can do at home that may help.
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Move well
Physical Wellbeing
Being active can be an effective way to maintain your physical and mental health. Regular physical activity can be a good way to boost your mood, increase energy levels, temporarily distract people from daily worries, help people feel less alone if they exercise with others, reduce stress, and even improve sleep.
Research says regular physical activity is a good way to help prevent or manage mild anxiety and depression.
Physical activity does not have to be exercise. It could be anything you do in your day-to-day life such as running errands or doing housework. If you're able, you can start small. You may have physical limitations or a condition that would make physical activity harmful, or perhaps impossible. Or you may be going through a stressful time. Whatever your personal circumstances are, different people need different levels of physical activity and exercise. It helps to talk to your doctor to determine what kind of physical activity is right for you.
The current recommendation is for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week. However, people with anxiety or depression may find it difficult to get started or get motivated or continue to exercise on a long-term basis which impacts on wellbeing, confidence and provides opportunities to socialise.
Exercise Resources
- Beyond Blue Keeping Active resources
- Bond University Clubs and Recreation
- Strava - a popular run and ride-tracking app
- Sworkit - builds workouts for you to follow based on four categories: strength, cardio, yoga or stretching
- Nike - is a popular running app
- MapMyFitness - this app allows you to track 60+ different sports. It has audio coaching and training plans.
- Gymaholic - provides workout plans for all abilities
- Seven - puts your whole body through its paces in just seven minutes using only your bodyweight, a wall and a chair
- Pocketyoga - ($4.49) offers 200 different poses and 27 different sessions
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Eat well
Having a healthy, balanced diet plays an important role in your overall health and wellbeing. Your brain needs a lot of nutrients to function and keep you well. Eating well helps to reduce the risk of physical health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Eating well also helps with one’s sleeping patterns, energy levels, and general health.
You may have noticed that your mood will often affect the type and the quantity of food you choose to eat. Some foods can lift your mood, energy levels, and concentration, while other foods can have the opposite effect. For example, eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains can reduce your risk of some mental health conditions such as depression, while eating foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat may increase your risk.
Eating Well on Campus
How we manage our diet has a direct impact on our overall wellbeing. Living on campus may restrict your options for cooking your own meals, but it doesn’t mean you can’t manage your food consumption. All of our food and beverage outlets on campus are known collectively as Food @ Bond and they are highly responsive to student feedback. Here are some of the ways to connect with the team:
- A fully up to date [email protected] Instagram page offers students a full run through of menus and events. You can make bookings for the University Club restaurant if you’re looking for a treat and even use the “My Menu” tab to submit suggestions.
- The [email protected] Facebook page presents you with updates on their latest menu changes and opportunities to share your feedback and requests for dining options.
For those of you who live off campus, we have some great healthy cooking ideas from our Overseas Health Care Provider BUPA. Have a go at some of these recipes and ideas for nutrition management.
BUPA Healthy Recipes
BUPA have produced a series of student recipes with easy to follow videos (with nutritious and delicious ingredients). The recipes include an easy sushi bowl, chicken Banh Mi and chocolate breakfast pudding. You can view the video library here.
- Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits.
- Eat plenty of cereals, preferably wholegrain, such as breads, rice, pasta and noodles.
- Include lean meat, fish, poultry and/ or alternatives.
- Include milks, yoghurts, cheeses and/or alternatives (preferably low-fat varieties).
- Drink plenty of water.
- Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol.
Source: National Health and Medical Research Council (2013) Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults. Canberra: Australian Government.
Healthy Eating Resources:
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Sleep well
Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for your mental and physical wellbeing. There are two types of sleep: deep sleep and dream sleep. Good quality sleep is about the amount of deep sleep a person gets, not the length of sleep. Most deep sleep occurs during the first five hours after falling asleep. Sleep can be disrupted for several reasons, such as illness, pain, anxiety or depression.
How disrupted sleep affects your wellbeing
- difficulty in getting to sleep
- poor-quality sleep • less sleep
- frequently waking during the night
- waking very early in the morning and being unable to get back to sleep.
Consequences of inadequate deep sleep
- tiredness during the day
- poor concentration and irritability
- aches and pains in muscles and bones
- weakened immune system
- longer periods of depression
Resources
- Good Sleep Habits (sleephealthfoundation.org.au)
- Beyond Blue Wellbeing Resource Library
- Sleep tips: 6 steps to better sleep - Mayo Clinic
Apps
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Study well
Life as a student can be challenging. Some educational problems that may require Clinical Attention include performance anxiety (e.g. exams and presentations), procrastination, poor class attendance/ avoidance strategies, targetted or perceived adverse discrimination (bullying), conflict with student cohort or staff, and financial issues. Here are just some of the issues many students share throughout their student lifecycle.
Start of semester worries and concerns:
- International/Interstate students presenting with Adjustment Issues (e.g. Homesickness, living away from home for the first time,
- unfamiliar or unsuitable living arrangements,
- loneliness, difficulty making new friends, and being underage.
- returning students who have failed one or more subjects in the previous semester and/or meet the requirements for exclusion.
Mid-semester worries and concerns: Mid-semester exams stress.
End of semester worries and concerns:
- Concerns of poor performance / non-attendance / procrastination - students worry they may not have enough time to complete their assessments before the exam period or have the capacity to complete the semester.
- Students anxious about completing their last semester (graduating on time, future employability, returning home, remaining in Australia, and monetary concerns).
- Exam / performance anxiety. Family dysfunction - concerns about returning home during the semester break.
You are not alone! If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, we encourage you to connect with someone whether it is one of our Counsellors, a member of staff or another student. Sharing your worries can often bring you much closer to finding a resolution or someone with a shared experience who can advise you.
Did you know that you can maximise your mind power? Here are some resources to help you harness the strength of your brain!
Cognitive Functioning Resources
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Stay well
Maintaining well-being
Developing a Well-Being Plan to help you manage your psychological wellbeing is an important part of your recovery and ability to stay well. A Wellbeing Plan is based on your own experiences. This plan will help you identify what your personal triggers are and the strategies that help you cope best. It will also teach you to recognise the early warning signs of a potential relapse, thus allowing you to implement coping mechanisms as quickly as possible. The earlier you intervene, the better your chances of recovery. You may find it useful to get input from people you trust, such as your GP, psychologist, family or friends.
Example of a Wellbeing Plan
Setting goals/ Building confidence - Talk to my family, friend, a staff member or GP about finding a psychologist
- Take one day at a time
- Exercise at least two to three times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes.
My triggers and ideal response - Anxiety and mood concerns: speak to my family and friends about my experience with mental health and ask for support. See my psychologist regularly.
- Feeling overwhelmed: have one day in the week to relax at my own leisure and stop taking on too many projects
Things I like to do to keep myself well - Catch up with family and friends.
- Take my dog for a walk.
- Do something creative.
Things that I must do to keep myself well - Establish a regular sleep routine.
- Open up to my family and friends about how I am feeling.
- Eat healthy food that supports my mood.
- Find ways to minimise distractions that complete for my attention over my work.
Things I notice about myself when I am becoming unwell - I want to sleep all the time.
- I fight with my family and friends.
- I get worked up over small things.
Things others notice about me when I am becoming unwell - I stop socialising.
- I am more irritable.
Source: http://resources.beyondblue.org.au/prism/file?token=BL/1178